It's kinda like saying "I don't like pizza" because you tried a cold slice of pineapple on cucumber pizza. "I'll stick to Lasagna."
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I tried Flats but changed them after 2 days
- Thread starter Thom Fioriglio
- Start date
if you're fortunate enough to own 2-3 basses, stringing one with flats provides tonal option when you need it
my go-to flat wound bass is a Squire fretless J
use it for church/acoustic
flats on a Squire ebanol fretboard = smooth buttery bliss
my go-to flat wound bass is a Squire fretless J
use it for church/acoustic
flats on a Squire ebanol fretboard = smooth buttery bliss
How? He bought expensive strings and didn't like them. Your analogy is off. It's more like buying one of the most famous pizzas from a very trendy vintage pizzeria chain that's got a less than mainstream but still notable cult following around the world.... eating a couple slices, and realizing you don't like it.
The accepted rule with food you don't like is to eat it 20 times, like once every day for 20 days, and you'll find you start to like it.
Leave any strings on for 20 days and you'll start to get used to them and accept their differences from what you're used to.
That's the analogy. He only ate the pizza once, maybe twice.
How many of us actually force ourselves to eat food we dislike every day for 20 days? Most of us don't.
Most of us can assess if we like new food pretty fast. Most of us will give a bass or strings a day or two... but generally we know right away if it'll be a good fit.
I still would always used flats on a hollow Gretsch or similar... but for me, p basses use rounds, not flats, for the best tone.
Also, interesting stories here.... good thread!
For me... blues bass is 100% rounds.... not flats.... on the records I grew up with.... but in classic rock I've heard flats on jazz basses and Ricks that are absolutely amazing classic tones.
I'm in the same boat as OP. The difference is that my flats boat sailed away long ago. I spent so much money on different flats hoping to like them. Never did. I don't even try anymore.
You have to play them for at least twenty years before you decide whether you like them or not, because that's when they start to sound good. 
9050s are OK if you can get the action low and broken in.
As for 'trebly bite' with flats, i use different od and boosts.
As for 'trebly bite' with flats, i use different od and boosts.
$25? Not exactly expensive. Probably the least expensive flats on the market. Not that that has anything to do with it. Just saying they are not expensive. Notable...well liked/reviewed...etc....yes. Expensive...no.
You just described sushi
Which is basically like flats and a better analogy than pizza...because everyone likes pizza! I hated sushi after the first couple times but kept trying it because it was always a fun time and really wanted to see why friends were so hyped on it. After about the 5th time trying it I found what I liked and understood why I liked it. Then I started craving it and became more adventurous and tried even more items from the menu. My wife on the other hand has tried sushi probably about 20 times and still hates it. 2 days with flats is like getting the first bite half way to your mouth and deciding you don't like it. Hell...2 days with any strings is pretty much like that.
Just figured I'd keep the food theme going that developed because it's more fun than the usual analogies on a completely subjective subject
You really can't. It's nothing alike.
That smoothness was such a strange thing at first. I can't remember how long it took me to get used to the first time. I barely use them myself any longer. They sit on my 4 which doesn't get picked up much, and I also went back to rounds on my main 5. I like both, but the rounds definitely give me more the sound I want most often. But the feel of those smooth strings, once I got used to them, was just so satisfying. and the sounds I did get were great. I found plenty of use for them. Had I not managed to somehow break the B string, I'd still be using them now on the 5. As it is, when I really need that sound, I know I at least have one instrument capable.
That's true, but you can get away with RWs with the treble off, but its a poor copy. I have flats on two of my basses, the rest are RW. If you just use one sound, thats great, but useful to have both if your work is varied.
Flats tend to cause less 'raised eyebrows' with the Jazz snobs.
Have I ever had something of "variety 1", and have I tried "variety 2" for whatever reason, only to come back to "1" because it suited me better? You bet! Done it with toothpaste taste, cigarette brands, bass cabs, types of bread, pasta, brand of milk, sports, beer, electrical companies, mustard and brand of bicycle tyres. There are many other examples, too.
You certainly didn’t try a significant number of test specimen ...
I would like as this is my favourite type of flatwound strings; the OP, however, seems to look only for somebody telling him that it did the right thing in dusting the flats he tried, making this the typical thread where it’s better to refrain from making any constructive comment.Does anyone dare suggest the OP try TI Flats?
There was the old adage ‘flats for a single pickup bass, rounds for a two pickup bass, but really, anything goes. You are the artist, use what you wish.
Fender flats are expensive? Bah .. this is not the information I have and, secondly, did the OP state how many models of roundwound strings he tried, and, consequently, how much money he spent in doing this?
No, he didn’t ..
What I may reasonably say is that when one starts the quest for a new type of strings to be used the road is not so short, as also a rounds aficionado should know ... saying that flats are not adequate for a given genre or playing style after trying one of the models characterised by the most modest performances is not a very informed statement in my opinion.
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So the flats have left you feeling a bit flat. I have a semi-acoustic bass set up with flats but they are not the strings I practise on. I like ringing rounds for chords and harmonics et al.
I'm sorry, but how did you get the impression that I was just looking for someone to "tell me I did the right thing" and was not open to a "constructive comment."? Is that your experience on these discussion boards? I'm still new around here but I would hope that these discussion boards would provide some valuable feedback, and I have gone through every comment. All I wanted to know is if others had similar experiences and if I should give them another go. I have twice posted "Thanks" for all the different opinions and advice. And have listened, and put the flats back on and will give them another go.
As for the Fender flats, I did my research, I know they are not considered a "premium" string, but I have seen several reviews that have had them in the top 3 and some at number one. As for not trying a significant number of strings, you are absolutely right, and I realized 2 days is not long enough, hence, giving them another try.
And I appreciate the different opinions on different strings, again, I have done my research, but don't have the money to try 5 or 6 different brands.
Thanks for your posts and sharing your thoughts.
Thom
Duck Dunn and James Jamerson used Labella 0760M 110-052 gauge flat wounds, so as for blues being 100% RWs, I don't think so.
Trying new strings can get expensive pretty quickly, but you do owe it to yourself to try some Labellas, I favour the 760FL as they're a bit lighter, unless you like heavy strings that can warp necks.
The Ernie Ball Cobalts are also popular, and are said to sound more like RWs, but I haven't tried them yet.
Trying new strings can get expensive pretty quickly, but you do owe it to yourself to try some Labellas, I favour the 760FL as they're a bit lighter, unless you like heavy strings that can warp necks.
The Ernie Ball Cobalts are also popular, and are said to sound more like RWs, but I haven't tried them yet.
Tapewounds will give you back the flexibility in the string and have a really nice feel. Tapes and Flats are not going to give you a tone like rounds if you're set on having that. A lot of people proclaim they get it with Cobalts and Chromes but I don't hear it. Also, living room analysis is hard to compare to what will work in the band mix. I had Chromes on my Spector, and in the living room practicing it wasn't doing anything for me. Once played with the band they sounded great. Bottom line, I tried to like flats but ended up liking round core nickel round wounds most. One bass gets a set of La Bella black tapes for that acoustic mwah, though.
The way I think of rounds vs flats: rounds emphasize timbre; flats are emphasize pitch.
That was my Thought. I do love the snappy tone of rounds in many of my favorite recordings, but have found that for me rounds give me a great bedroom tone, which tended to get buried in the mix by multiple upper register intruments. The low mid hump of flats is very hard to bury. Just recently went back to TIs on my P and J. Expensive , but (if they are for you) it's buy once, cry once as can they last years.
That was my Thought. I do love the snappy tone of rounds in many of my favorite recordings, but have found that for me rounds give me a great bedroom tone, which tended to get buried in the mix by multiple upper register intruments. The low mid hump of flats is very hard to bury. Just recently went back to TIs on my P and J. Expensive , but (if they are for you) it's buy once, cry once as can they last years.
Sounds like me every time I try roundwound strings.
“This is going to be great!
Oh no!”
“This is going to be great!
Oh no!”
